GBTA calls on new transport secretary to act on airport expansion
New transport secretary Chris Grayling must move swiftly to make a decision on the UK’s airport expansion, the GBTA has said.
GTMC chief executive Paul Wait said: "Whilst the GTMC is extremely pleased to see a new Cabinet in place and the stability that this brings, it is vital that this Cabinet now approves the much-needed infrastructure required to enable UK businesses to connect and trade with the rest of the world.
"Recent forecasting from Oxford Economics shows a direct link between business travel and economic prosperity.
"Not only does this research show that international business air travel returning to pre-2008 levels within the next five years will add as much as £6.5 billion to the value of UK trade, but that greater air connectivity has a vital role to play in enabling this.
"A 1% increase in air connectivity has the potential to increase trade by 0.09%, the equivalent to around £600 million. This level of growth is much-needed.
"Uncertainty over airport expansion in the South East has gone on for too long with previous deadlines routinely being missed.
"The new Government has a new department committed to international trade which will be vital to grow our economy in the wake of Brexit.
"What we need now is for a similar commitment to provide the transport infrastructure to allow more international trade to take place.
"Increasing airport capacity in the South East is now imperative to ensure that Britain’s global future is realised."
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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